The X18 Tank Boat is an innovative, fast, stealthy, and highly maneuverable catamaran design that provides a stable weapons platform for close-in and long range direct fire support in normally inaccessible coastal and riverine Environments.
Fitted with high performance diesel engines and water jet propulsion, the twin hull configuration has excellent sea keeping properties and the added advantage of shallow draft. Giving it the ability to execute beach and river landings and insert or extract squads of up to 20 Special Forces or Marines. The X18 Tank Boat has a crew of 6, and will also carry a High-speed Interdiction RIB for boarding and SEAL insertion.
The main weapon system of the X18 Tank Boat is the CMI Defence Cockerill 3105. This system is based on a versatile and powerful high-pressure low recoil-force 105mm gun. Fully stabilised, accurate by day or night, and able to use a wide range of NATO standard 105mm ammunition, this weapon system directly engages a broad spectrum of targets at up to 5,000m range, and indirectly engages targets to 10,000m range. The powerful, accurate and flexible Cockerill C3105 weapon system gives the X18 Tank Boat Commander a wide range of tactical options at all stages of his mission.
The 105mm is also capable of firing the Cockerill Falarick 105 Gun Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (GLATGM). Elevating to +42° the weapon delivers exceptional engagement capability in complex situations, and the GLATGM permits hard and Point target to be engaged at extended ranges (up to 5 km).
The mounting of this type of system allows for flexibility in logistics with the various calibres already in common use with NATO and other major military powers.
This is the first time that any company has conceived of mounting this type of system aboard a small, fast and stealthy catamaran that with only a 1 meter draught makes it ideally suited for the confines of coastal waterway operations.
The X18 can be augmented with a Bofors LEMUR Remote Weapons Systems incorporating 7.62 – 30 mm GPMG/ Cannon.
(TankBoat)